September 17, 2004

Misery loves company

Japanese baseball players have voted to strike despite last-minute attempts to negotiate a settlement. The players want to postpone for one year the merging of two teams in the Pacific Division, which would result in an imbalance between the divisions (the other division would have six teams). Also, approximately 100 players and front office workers would lose their jobs. Owners maintain that the Kintetsu Buffaloes are losing $36 million a year and need to be merged with the Orix Blue Wave.

This is probably the most polite strike I've ever heard of. Both the player union rep and the owners have come out and apologized to the fans, and the league commisioner has stepped down for not being able to avert the strike.

Oh yeah, the strike only affects weekend games. All baseball during the week will continue on schedule.

I'm not positive about the details, but I remember reading somewhere - maybe 20 years ago - that their were about 50 Japanese in line for a movie. An old lady carrying grocery bags fell down and her groceries were scattered and rolling away. They all left the line, helped her up, gathered her groceries, made sure she was all right, then got back into line in the exact same order they'd been before.